Cornerstone Christian Center
Cornerstone Christian Center
Through Christ | Philippians
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." These familiar words take on profound meaning when we understand their context - written by Paul while imprisoned for his faith. Far from a prosperity promise, this declaration reveals the secret to finding strength regardless of circumstances.
Throughout this message, we journey across continents to see this truth in action. From South Korean believers worshiping amid busy cityscapes to Nepalese pastors gathering despite harsh conditions, from Cuban Christians facing government opposition to Kenyan believers meeting under shade trees - the power of identity in Christ transcends cultural boundaries and difficult circumstances.
Paul's letter to the Philippians serves as both challenge and encouragement. Though imprisoned, he urges believers to "rejoice in the Lord always" and experience "peace that passes understanding." This supernatural peace comes not from favorable circumstances but from prayer and God's presence, guarding our hearts and minds when anxiety threatens to overwhelm.
The key lies in understanding whose we are before determining what we do. Our citizenship is in heaven, our allegiance to God first. This identity empowers us to press toward the goal despite obstacles, understanding that none of us is perfect but we belong to Christ who makes us His own. When we guard our thoughts and focus on whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable, we cultivate the mind of Christ.
God doesn't promise that following Him will be easy - Paul certainly didn't find it so. But He does promise His presence, His peace, and His provision according to "His riches in glory." Whether in plenty or want, abundance or need, we find strength not in ourselves but in Christ who strengthens us. Will you embrace this identity today and discover what it means to truly live victoriously?
Cornerstone
https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/
Follow Jesus
https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/follow-jesus
Life Groups
https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/life-groups
Giving
https://cornerstoneaz.churchcenter.com/giving
Church Center App - Download then add Cornerstone Christian Center in Avondale, AZ
iOS
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-church-center/id1357742931?mt=8&ls=1&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
Android
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ministrycentered.churchcenter
----
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/cornerstoneaz
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/cornerstoneaz.org
Twitter
https://twitter.com/cornerstoneaz.org
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Say it with me I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. You know, it's a powerful idea that our identity and our power, our source, is found in Jesus. A few weeks back, we found ourselves in South Korea and we were running around in the city of Seoul. We were on our way back from being in Nepal. We had a layover for the morning and so we jumped out to go rent around the city and I'll tell you, you know, we were prepared for the foothills of the Himalayas, for parkas and all that stuff, because we are desert people. You know what I mean. So we were ready for the cold, but we you know what I mean. So we were ready for the cold, but we had packed all that stuff and we were just like running around in our little coats.
Speaker 1:And I'll tell you, friends, it was real, real cold. I don't know if you guys remember the cold. It's like what we don't have here. It was very, very cold, and so we were representing, we were wearing our cornerstone hats. We're running around Seoul, we're having a fun time, and it was so cold, like we were like on the verge of the chatter. You guys know when you start to get the chatter in your voice and your teeth. You guys know what I'm talking about. You guys don't remember, but it was so cold that Pastor Angus, he found the biggest teddy bear possible to get warm. I mean, it was very cold and so it was an amazing time.
Speaker 1:And actually, you know, we were talking about it and kind of just taking in the city and we were thinking about all these people we came across. They're very nice and kind and all those things. And you kind of see this next image as we were walking there it's something I snapped on my phone and just thinking about the different people that make up that society. And it's an individualistic society for the most part, but what was amazing is God, by his hand and by his spirit, has done an amazing thing and many, many, many people have come to love Jesus there. And we know about Paul Yonggi Cho, pastor David Yonggi Cho, his work in their church up to 50,000 people meeting together in one church on the weekend there and many other churches that there abound.
Speaker 1:And you can think of, like in the Gangnam District, how busy it is. You kind of see this here of all the traffic that runs around and how crazy it is, and, in the midst of all that craziness, that God has moved upon people's hearts to draw them to himself, away from the thing that would otherwise take their attention. We think about the same thing in Bangkok, as you can see here. You know it's thinking about all the high-rise buildings built up and the train running through the city and we talked about all the different difficulties there spiritually and how God is doing an amazing work through ICA Bangkok and through other churches that are there, and how they're coming to know the redemptive power of Jesus and how, even though there are these difficulties in spiritual darkness, god is using them as a light of the gospel in difficult places and how he can move upon hearts to bring people to himself.
Speaker 1:We think about that in Cuba how, even though the government is against their faith in Jesus, how people have been drawn to him and they found the life change that they've been looking for. And it's by dynamic and it's been amazing to him and they found the life change that they've been looking for and it's by dynamic and it's been amazing to be there worshiping with brothers and sisters in Christ who are proclaiming their faith in Jesus Christ and about who he is to them. And it was a powerful moment, you know, being in Kenya this last year and getting a chance to be there with friends who go and pastors who are out even amongst the rural peoples and meeting together in tabernacle churches or even under large shade trees, bringing people together proclaiming the good news of the gospel, and how the Lord has given boldness and courage to missionaries that have gone to all these places and, as someone like Celeste shared in the first service, who they lived that way and they knew what it meant to really to walk by faith. As a missionary man, my heart goes with them and the challenges that they face and how to communicate the gospel to all these different people, to all these different cultures, and how God loves them and he values them and how his heart goes out to them and that's my same heart is that, lord, help us so that we can reach the world with your message of love and friends. How we are challenged to do the exact same thing here in our community.
Speaker 1:How we're called to be those that, as we think about our community, we think about the sprawl of Phoenix Metro. How we're called to be those that take the message of God's good news to our neighbors too, and how so much of our culture is very much drive into your garage and shut the door and do your own thing. How we can be the love of God to those around us, that we can be the love of God to our neighbor and we can be the love of God in our sphere of influence, at work or wherever you set your hands to be, and you can walk with the power of the presence of God so richly upon you that even as you go into the depths of Costco, that the Lord will be with you, especially as people try to take your parking. But you guys get the idea. It's the grace of God that rests upon us and that's what he wants us to do is understand that he is our source and if he calls us to do these great things, which is what he's calling us to do it's not in our own power, it's not by our own authority that we're doing it, it's by his and because he calls us to it, then he will empower us to do the work he's called us to do. I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Would you say amen to that man. We're so glad that we had this opportunity to worship together here at Cornerstone. It's a blessing to be a part of it and we're talking about this idea of Philippians in this series right now, and it's a powerful thing.
Speaker 1:In doing so, we very much see and echo the words that Paul is writing to the church and that we are people who are not perfect. We are in need of a Savior and we see ourselves as those who are following after Jesus, that none of us have arrived, that all of us are still on that journey, following after him. So I would use this imagery of Jesus walking with his disciples because that's how we see ourselves, that we're walking after Jesus, that we're following him where he's leading us to go, that we know that we need a savior and so we need to follow him where he's leading us, because our ambition is to be more like Jesus. That's our heart. And since we're gonna be more like Jesus, then we need to do that collectively, in loving God and making disciples, in reaching the world. That's why we give, above and beyond, our tithe to missions. That's why we sacrifice, so other people can know the goodness of God, the love of God. It's why we give so other people can know the goodness of God, the love of God. That's why we give, so that those who are in difficulty can experience a hand of generosity towards them. And that's what we do. We do that because we want to live with intentionality, with real purpose, that we're not happenstantially living this life, that we are those who are going to be intentional in being those that follow Jesus. Let me challenge you in this that you would be those, that in this season, you're intentional in your walk with God as well, and that you would encourage those around you to join with you in joining a life group so that you can connect and grow and serve the Lord. See God do something dynamic in this season of your life.
Speaker 1:Now we've been talking about this book of Philippians and it's a letter that Paul is writing to the church at Philippi and they have been as he started on his second missionary journey. They're going and starting churches throughout this area and, as we talked about, it'd be in modern day Macedonia. So it's very heavy Greek influence and all those things. So there's places where they're worshiping all sorts of deities, where they're worshiping all sorts of deities and they're worshiping sex and they're worshiping money and they're worshiping every little spiritual entity in doing all these things. So, as the power of God and the proclamation of the gospel goes forward through Paul, as the church starts to get established, it's very counter cultural to the people that are around them. They're living for God, they're living with the holiness of God and they're living with this intentionality that's different than everyone else around them. And so this letter that he writes to them is one of challenge, but it's also one of congratulations, saying hey, you're doing such a good work, keep going, don't give up. And he's writing to them from being imprisoned and many believe, the scholars believe, that he's being imprisoned in Rome writing this letter to them, encouraging them, saying listen, though I'm in prison, though I'm in chains, for my faith in God, don't give up. The joy of the Lord is my strength. I'm not letting it get me down, don't let it get you down that because of this that we can see greater things happen, because we're obedient to God.
Speaker 1:If you have your Bible, your tablet, your phone, we're going to be moving and turning today to Philippians 4, where we know this famous piece of scripture. I encourage you to highlight it and highlight many of the scriptures we do today and go back and read them for yourself. Let it wash over you this week, let it challenge and speak to your spirit. It says here in Philippians 4, verse 13, I can do all things through him, who gives me strength, or through Christ, who strengthens me. Just say amen to that, lord. We thank you for your word. We pray today that you would speak to us, lord, you breathe upon it, make it alive and challenge us, lord, that we become more like your character. We pray all this in the powerful name that is Jesus Christ. Amen. Say this with me. I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
Speaker 1:Now we pick up here, actually in the previous book, in Philippians 3, on the heels of last week, and talking about Philippians 2, where we're talking about how we are being known by the character of God in us and how we were talking about is it something that's said about you when you're not there that you show the love of God to others, or what is said about you when you're not there, that you show the love of God to others, or what is said about you when you're not there? And we know the difference between being a person who actually lives for Christ and those who just say they're living for Christ. And that's not my judgment on you, that's the Holy Spirit's conviction on your own life, whether or not you're doing what you say you're doing. And that's the thing that we want to be is because so often the church is being challenged by being hypocrites, by being people that say one thing and do another thing, and instead we want to be authentic, we want to be those who are genuine in our faith and we're being transparent to those around us that yeah, hey, this is where my faith is at, and, yes, I am going through something. But guess what? Hey, this is where my faith is at and, yes, I am going through something, but guess what? He is stronger than my situation and my faith is within him, and so I hold onto him, like we talked about last week hold fast onto the Lord, don't give up. And so we pick up here in Philippians three, and it's a challenge about who we are and whose we are, our identity in Christ. Philippians 3.12 says not that I have already obtained this or I'm already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. We say amen to that.
Speaker 1:We see this idea that Paul himself is saying I am not perfect, and this is a statement that is counter to who he had been previously being known by the name Saul. Saul had been grown up and brought up in a place where he was the top of the top lawyer in understanding the word of God, the law and all that was taught in that way. He had been taught by the greatest teachers, by the greatest rabbis, and he himself was held in high esteem. He was someone who was the ultimate, in the pinnacle of following all the laws. That's why they trusted him to enforce it against the early church and that's why he had such a zeal, such a passion to actually persecute the church, because he thought the church was going against the law. So Paul was one that had his hair and his beard correct as according to the word. He didn't have mixed kind of blended clothing. He didn't do any of those things. He didn't have bacon this morning for breakfast. He didn't do anything that was against the Levitical law because he was in alignment with it, because he himself could therefore attain holiness, or so he thought.
Speaker 1:And what he realized in a radical conversion moment when he met Jesus face to face as he was going to persecute the church. As Jesus spoke to him directly, saying why are you persecuting me? He realized that his whole frame of reference was wrong, that he could not earn his way into the glory of God, he couldn't work his way into God's good grace, he couldn't do enough to earn a doorway to a holy God. And even by following all the rules, it still didn't make him holy before God. It was only through sacrifice that he was made righteous and it was only through the sacrifices one Jesus Christ, that we are all made righteous and into relationship with the living God. And so, as he has this radical change in his heart and his life, he goes from being Saul to being Paul.
Speaker 1:He goes from having this radical hatred of the church to a radical love for the church, because he identifies as I am a Christ follower, I belong to him. And so he's saying from the start I'm not perfect. And though we sacrificed everything, and though I've been in shipwreck and snake bit and I've been stoned and left for dead and God raised me up, though we've been persecuted and I'm currently in chains writing you this letter, still I know that I'm in the process, that God is working on me and that I am not afraid because I belong to him and so I am his own, that God has made me his own, not by my doing, but what he has done for me, and so I belong to Jesus. And this is the very thing that the early church had a hard time with. Because, you know, he goes from being Saul and persecuting the church, holding the coats of those who stoned Stephen to death for his belief in Christ, and persecuting others and doing all these things. He goes from that to saying now I'm a Christ follower, and they're like mm-mm, mm-mm, mm-mm, I'm not trusting that guy.
Speaker 1:What I love is the courage of people that they would come alongside and say no, actually, this is our brother Paul, who's had a life change, and they brought him in to the community of faith and, because of his zeal for God, people saw the life change that happened in him. So, friends, it shows the difference between we are not our past, that we can be a future and a belonging to God if we know whose we are. And so that's why he can write with such a boldness to the church. Even being persecuted, even being imprisoned, he can still write with a freedom, because his freedom is not based on his circumstances. His freedom is based on his spirit, and his spirit belongs to the living God that no one can quench and no one can hold down.
Speaker 1:It continues in verse 13. It says it like this brothers, I do not consider what I have made it my own, but one thing I do forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal, for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. I love this. He talks about living toward the goal, toward the goal. So much of our lives and we talked about it even the beginning of this year and going after the deep things of God, is that we are those that are living our life with the goal in mind. And that goal is to live our life in such a way, with obedience towards God, that whenever we meet him face to face, he says well done, my good and faithful servant. See, we know collectively that we're called to be good stewards of what he gives us right Of our time, our talent, our testimony, our treasury. We're supposed to be good stewards of all those things. But he's giving you a specific thing that he wants you to do. It's your narrative, it's your story, it's the thing that he has only for you to do and no one else, and so that's why we have to draw near to him, so he can speak to our hearts and to our lives about what we're called to do. Specifically, see, you're not called to do what I'm doing and I'm not called to do what you're doing, but he needs us both to do his work here, and so that's why, when we belong to him, we're gonna work towards the goal, because we know what our end goal is, and it helps us to press forward. It helps us to press forward, it helps us to go after the things, the ultimate things, that we're working toward.
Speaker 1:Man, you know my son. He's been a soccer player since he was a little boy, and so we did a lot of club soccer and soccer teams and all that stuff. So we were wheels up every weekend, taking him to soccer and doing all these things, and recently, as he went into his senior year, they were having an amazing season. His team was very good, and so they actually were doing very well, and it's his senior year, so he's captain of the team, co-captain with others, and he's doing great and he was scoring goals and doing all the things he's supposed to do. And then he had an injury that happened to him. He tore his MCL, and so we thought it was going to be a season ending injury.
Speaker 1:I was proud of him because he kept on going to the games. He kept on going and rooting on his team, though he had to sit on the sidelines. He knew, hey, I belong to this team and I know what we're about, so I'm going to cheer on those who can do it, even though I can't do it. And what was amazing about that is that he was able to rehab, and you can see here, actually, as they went into the playoffs, where he was actually able to rehab and rejoin the team and score series of goals, going all the way up to the state final, where their team went all the way there, which is a pretty amazing thing. And what I love about that is the tenacity to not give up, even whenever it didn't benefit him anymore. He was no longer going to be the one on the field, but, guess what? He knew that he belonged to it, and so he was there cheering on others that were doing the thing. And then, guess what, when he got a chance to get back involved. He got back involved and went all the way to the end and they did a great job. They went all the way to the state final. Unfortunately, it was that last minute thing where they weren't able to get the victory, but they went all the way to the state final and recovered all those things. Amazing, amazing, amazing.
Speaker 1:What we know is that it wasn't just those on the field that made it possible. It was also those who were cheering them on, and they had a whole series of his friends that showed up and they were all cheering for them and making a ruckus and making a rowdy sound and really cheering on the team to do their best. And that's what we have as a community of faith is that we have a big, rowdy ruckus of people that are cheering you on in your faith for Jesus is that they wanna see you win. They wanna see you be victorious. They're making a noise like let's go For you, for you, because they want to see you win. They don't want you to be doing worse than them. That's not how this works. No, they want to see you be victorious and they want to be victorious too. They want to live in this victorious life after God, see, because we know, as we belong to him, we're all pressing forward toward the goal, and that's what it's about is continuing to encourage others on as we live this community of faith together.
Speaker 1:Now, what we know is this that our faith in Christ is very much a decision we make. But Christ died for the church, meaning the collective, and I've seen people say, oh, I don't need the church to be a Christian, and that's true in the sense that you know they don't make a decision for you. But I've yet to see someone live successfully for God that hasn't been involved in a community of faith. And the reason is because you don't have the support system to keep you aligned in going towards the goal. And so often what happens is they begin to get off track and they start to go after this thing or after that thing, and even though they had made that decision in the past, now they're living for something else, they're cheering for a different goal, and it gets them derailed. And so I challenge you today, friend, wherever you are, as I have to challenge myself from the past is that you need the community and the community needs you, that you need to be here and you need to live for God because collectively we can be victorious to the very end, to encourage each other forward to live this thing after God.
Speaker 1:It continues this and we see in verse 20. It says but our citizenship is in heaven and from it we await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to make it like his glorious body by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. He's talking about this idea of what Christ has done in transforming. It's for eternity that we belong to Jesus. We see ourselves in Christ Jesus, that we belong to him, and I can tell you that whenever we identify that I belong to Christ first, the kingdom of God first, then we'll live like that and we know when our allegiance is to him. Then, guess what? We're going to live that way.
Speaker 1:I can tell you, as someone who supports, like USA, sports and USA soccer, I've done that and I've cheered for USA around the world, even though it was very dangerous, and I was like USA, everybody's like what did you just say? Because I love it. I'm like cheering for it, very patriotic and I'm very thankful for all those who made a sacrifice for us to have freedom that we have here. But I tell you this, friends, that my allegiance first is to God and that's why we say it's to God and to family and to our country, and we don't get those things messed up, because our allegiance is to him first, because it's an eternal allegiance that we make to God, and so we live and we're passionate and we serve with our life and we do those things as unto the Lord and that's why we serve with excellence to our community, it's why we serve our country with excellence, it's why we're good citizens and we do all those things, because we belong to him first. And that's why I can pray for those who even our country thinks is an enemy.
Speaker 1:I can pray for our brothers and sisters in Iran today that are going through suffering for their faith. And I can say Lord, be with our brothers and sisters in Iran today, or when their country wants to hunt them down and persecute them for their faith in Jesus. Lord, I pray for them today, lord, that they would have strength and they would have boldness. Lord, be with them today. That they would know the peace of God, lord, that they would know the liberty of your hand upon their life. Lord, pray that you would keep them safe, lord, and that they would have the joy of the Lord to be their strength, and we can pray like that because they belong with us and we belong with them, because we collectively belong to him, because we are in Christ Jesus.
Speaker 1:It was amazing, being in Thailand, pastor Angus and I had this opportunity to go and to connect with the Filipino community and fellowship of ICA Bangkok, and so they're living in Thailand, a big group of Filipinos, and we were able to connect with them, and what's awesome is they're using this language or using this community to reach out to other people with the love of Christ, and there are many, many, many Filipinos that live in Thailand, and so they're able to use that connection with people and share the love of Christ with those around them. And so that's what we're called to do as well is that we use whatever platform we have and just to use that for the glory of God to be made known. So I'm not talking about on a bull horn on the corner telling people about this. I'm talking about living your life for Christ, wherever you are, because we belong to him, and it helps us that we don't. It makes us so that we don't divide ourselves away from others like that's an other and this is an other, but that the uniqueness of every single culture, every single skin tone, every single background, they're woven together into this beautiful tapestry that is the body of Christ, and that's who we are as a collective.
Speaker 1:We were in Nepal and you know, this is a group of female pastors you see here, and they're man. They were going before the Lord and just really seeking him. The power of God was there, and what I love is that they're all unified in heart, though they're from different tribes, they're from different peoples, they're from different parts of the country and they would identify nationally together, but they have uniqueness amongst themselves. They don't let that divide them, but instead they're unified in their relationship with Jesus Christ, and that's what's amazing about it is because they're unified in heart. Then they come with this intentionality for more of him.
Speaker 1:Pastor Angus was tasked with a difficult thing, because there was a main session of business that was happening during this meeting, and so there was a group of people over a hundred people that they weren't gonna be able to participate in the business session. So they're like well, we'll give you a separate session over here, so you can imagine their kind of. The attitude is that they were not worthy of going to the other place. So, like we'll see what this is about, you know what I mean. What I love about Angus is that he has such a heart that he went and he was just seeking God and even up early in the morning praying to the Lord, saying Lord, what do you have me share with this community, with these people who might not feel like they're? Maybe they feel like they're second class, maybe they feel like they're not worthy enough? And it wasn't a thing, it was just that they couldn't vote, so it made more sense for them to be in this other spot. So he just started out with this humility in his message and started to share about the identity in Christ, and God, by his spirit, did such an amazing work there in that room that by the end of his message, people were standing and worshiping the Lord in response. Holy Spirit was moving upon the crowd in such a dynamic way that, though even people weren't touching anyone, people were falling out under the power of God. They were falling out through the chairs in the middle of the place and it was pretty wild. It didn't scare these people at all. They see spiritual stuff all the time. They're like this is great, yes, me. Next, it was powerful and it was one of these things, that man. I was so thankful for his obedience to listen to Holy Spirit and for their obedience to welcome what he's doing in their life, all because they identify with whose they are first Friends that in Christ Jesus we belong to him.
Speaker 1:We see this next piece. It actually picks up into Philippians 4, and it starts to talk about exactly what Paul was saying is that listen, don't be discouraged, but that you would be one that is full of the joy of the Lord. He says that you should rejoice, and he's writing this, remember, from prison. He says rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say rejoice. What he's telling them is that it doesn't matter your circumstances.
Speaker 1:The joy of the Lord can be your strength. The rejoice, the act of having joy in your life can be your testimony to other people, and not in a fake it till you make it kind of way. I mean in a true, genuine experience, the joy of God in your life kind of thing. And that only comes from having experience with God and drawing near to God, because he's the source of the joy that we're talking about and so that's exactly what we're talking about here is that we would be those, that it doesn't matter our circumstances, it doesn't matter that we're in the valley of the shadow of death, as we sang today these prayers that he will be the good shepherd who guides us death. As we sang today these prayers that he will be the good shepherd who guides us through it, says your rod and your staff. They comfort me that you are going to be the one that is there. You're the strong tower, you're the eagle's wings over me. You are more than enough for me. So I will rejoice, despite my circumstances, despite the thing I'm going through, despite what I feel is insurmountable things Guess what?
Speaker 1:The joy of the Lord is my strength and I can stand in the strength of who he is and the promises of what he has for me, continues forward in verse five, and it says it like this Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. I love this, and it hinges on this very first part of this promise. The Lord is at hand. What does it mean? It means that he is there, available for you to reach out and touch. He is right beside you, he has not left you. He is the good shepherd, not the one that runs off, but the one that fights the wolves and friends.
Speaker 1:That's what we're talking about is that, since he is for you and since he's available with you, we do not have to live in fear, but instead we can draw near to him. He is our source and what we find is that the perfect love, the perfect holiness, the perfection that is the presence of God. As we draw near to him, what it does is it starts to push out all of our imperfections. We start to embrace his work in us, it starts to work through us, and that's why, even as we accept his work for us, we know that we're still people that are in process and that, even as Paul writes, that we're not perfect. So since we're not, then we need to embrace what he's doing so he can work in and through us, because he's at hand, he hasn't left you, he hasn't forsaken you, and as he works that in us, and as our imperfections, our brokenness is made whole, is healed and is worked through, then what happens is that he actually starts to be the one that gives you more than you need.
Speaker 1:It talks about that we should not be anxious, do not be anxious, do not be stressed out, but instead embrace what he's doing for us. And you think about this, think about all the anxiety that we might expect. Sometimes our stresses have stresses. How many people know what I'm talking about? And you start going down the rabbit hole of stress in your life and you're like stress on this and stress and stress and stress. What if this happens? What if that happens? And what if they do this right? And then there's a nuclear explosion, and then blah, blah, blah and you can be so stressed out that you can't even accept what God is trying to do in your current circumstances, because you're so far down the road in anxiety. And he's saying to you do not be anxious, but by prayer. And this is the thing is, this is the big hinge it's by prayer.
Speaker 1:So what is prayer? Prayer is communication with God, it's drawing near to him and not just you talking, but also hearing what he's speaking to you. And so often people will come and say, pastor, you know, I need some wisdom on this. I need some guidance. I'm like praise the Lord, let's pray, let's hear. Have you been praying? Yeah, they're like, no, no, I've been stressing out about it. I'm like cool, that's not what the scripture says. So we're going to pray. So let's start with that. And I'm guilty, you know. I'm like oh man, lord, what about church? We have this thing and this thing. He's like great. Draw near to me. Draw near to me Because I'm the source of these things, that by prayer and supplication, that I will be more than enough for you.
Speaker 1:What you're looking for is in that relationship with God. What you're looking for is at the source of your relationship with him and drawing near to him, because his perfect presence pushes out everything that's not perfect. His perfect presence is peace, it says in verse 7, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, which surpasses all understanding. Friends, whenever we can't give answers to what we're stressing about, when we don't have the answers or the way out, he does, and so he is the source of the perfect peace. It says the peace that passes all understanding. Whenever we don't understand how we possibly could have peace in this circumstance. He does because his presence is peace over us. So, as we draw near to him, the peace of God will rest upon us, the one that doesn't make logical sense and it can't because it's supernatural. So the supernatural peace of God, which comes through prayer and through his presence, will speak over you and over your circumstances and over your family, and over those anxieties that we're wrestling with and we're struggling with and we're fighting against, and the peace of God will rest upon you. And guess what starts to happen? Then your heart starts to calm down, then your mind starts to calm down. Why? Because the Lord is at hand, he's present with you, and so it talks about. So you, because of this, the presence of God, the peace of God, will speak over you. And so what you're supposed to do? You're supposed to guard your heart and guard your mind. Guard your heart, guard your mind.
Speaker 1:You know, growing up as a church kid man, so often you would hear guard your heart. And it was almost like a joke, because you know it was really said more towards young ladies looking at young men, because many times the men in the church were actually wolves in sheep's clothing. So they're saying girl, you need to guard your heart. Guard your heart, girl. That's not the right boy. Guard your heart. You guys know what I'm talking about. You guys aren't admitting, but you know what I'm talking about.
Speaker 1:Guard your heart, and it's almost like a joke, but it's not a joke, because we do need to guard our heart and not just against some boy, some girl that's trying to bring you into this darkness. Stuff like that I mean the whole beginning of Proverbs and the king speaking to his son who's gonna be ruling is like listen, don't run after this sketchy woman because she's a pit of death and you could flip-flop that the other way. You know what I mean. It's like listen, don't go do that. Don't run after this person. Yes, they look appetizing. Guess what their demise is. What they are, that's what they are. Don't go after that. So guard your heart. And I don't mean just after that, I mean guard your heart full stop, not after the money, not after the sex, not after anything that would derail you from God's purpose for your life.
Speaker 1:The goal is what we're going after. So, as we're living after the goal, then we need to guard our heart and we need to guard our mind, because so often our heart is our passion, it's our emotion, and if we don't watch it, then our passions and our emotions can be fickle and they'll take us every which way. And even if you have your passions in check maybe you're a more stoic person then we need to really pay attention to what we have our mind about, because whatever we think about, what we think about, what we think about is what we will do. What you think about is what you will do. What you think about is what you will do. What you entertain in your mind is what you eventually will make excuses for and go do. And so what we have to do is we have to guard our heart and our emotions. We have to guard our mind because we have to go after the things of God, because if we don't watch it, this will derail us or that will derail us. So he's saying listen, the peace of God be upon you, go us. So he's saying listen, the peace of God be upon you, go after the goal which is found in Jesus Christ alone, that we would live victoriously in him.
Speaker 1:It picks up in verse eight and says finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there's anything worthy of praise. Think on these things, and I love this. Think on these things. Having a mind of Christ means thinking about the good things that God is doing. And the mind of Christ, we know this garbage in, garbage out. So if we're putting good things in, then that's what's going to come out.
Speaker 1:And that's why we talk about having your daily reading of the word of God is because it will challenge the attitude you have in the morning when you haven't had coffee. Yet Some of us need to read it twice a day. You know what I mean. That way it can challenge the attitude you had from a bad day you had. So we can come in alignment with him. And I don't mean that in a slapping way. I mean that in a challenge to me and to us that we would think on these things, because so often it's easy to pick up all the negative things. We're pretty good at that, aren't we? All the negative things? We're pretty good at that, aren't we? All the negative things. We're like, oh, this is bad, and this is bad, and this is bad and this is bad. We think about all the bad things that are happening instead of Lord.
Speaker 1:Thank you for today. Thank you for a new opportunity for today. Thank you, lord, for the things that are going good in my life. Thank you, lord, for shelter over me and I had some food today. Thank you for running water and electricity at work today, friends, I've been around the world. I don't even have that. Thank you, lord, there was a commode today that things went away from me, and not in a pile, lord. Thank you God. Thank you, god that I have the mind of Christ and so my attitude is not a spiritual pile of mess, but instead, lord, you're working through me so we could be different, so we can live with purpose.
Speaker 1:See, we get so wrapped up in our own thing. We can never be intentional in loving another person because we're so wrapped up in our own mess that we're broken. And if we stay broken, that's what the enemy wants for you is you to stay broken, so you can never be intentional in having the purpose that God wants you to fulfill. Friends, we need to be those that are living for God with the end in mind. And he says this, and it gives you frame of reference for what we've been talking about today.
Speaker 1:Paul writes. He says I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound In any and every circumstance. I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Friends, that's what he's talking about. Is it doesn't matter what we're facing, it doesn't matter if it's good times or in bad. The consistency is found in Jesus Christ, and whenever he is our source, then it doesn't matter if it's good times or in bad. The consistency is found in Jesus Christ. And whenever he is our source, then it doesn't matter what we're facing, because the peace of God is always ours, the joy of the Lord is always ours. It doesn't matter what we're going through, because it's an internal driver from the holy God where we're spending time to in prayer, and so his presence is doing these things inside of us, and so we can say I can do all things. It's not the I in that sentence. It is through Christ who strengthens me. That's the promise that we have. Is that it's found in Christ, and if we have this mindset, where we think about it, oh, it's only there's limited resource. That's not what he says. That's not what the Word of God says. The Word of God says this in Philippians 4.19, and my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. See, that's why we know that he is more than capable, because his riches, it's riches in glory, it's his riches, not your riches, not gonna do it with a 50 cents in your pocket, no, he's gonna do it with the glory of what he has, of what he is doing, with his intentionality in your story. So, as we draw near to him, that's his presence. That is the first thing, because it's his presence which brings the peace. It's his presence which brings the peace, it's his presence which brings the joy. It's all those things. And then, as we have the heart, the focus of God, and then we have the mind of Christ, well, guess what? Well then, these other things don't own us, so he can trust you with more. And then the physical resources. Well, guess what All of that follows? It's a seek. First, the kingdom of God, and all of these other things will follow unto you. And so, friends, let's be those that focus with the goal in mind and understand that the joy of the Lord is our strength and that, through Christ, it is in Christ who strengthens me, we will be more like Jesus. Today we have this opportunity to respond to him and to the message of God, to what he's been speaking to us. Maybe you're here. You've never made a decision to follow Jesus. Today's your opportunity to do so. It's your opportunity to invite Christ into your heart and life, to say Jesus, I believe you are who you say you are, and so, lord, I place my faith and trust in you. Lord, I believe that you came and you became a sacrifice for all of us. You lived a sinless life, lord, that you took on my sin and my mistakes, and because you took them onto yourself and you paid for those mistakes with your life or I can be made free of those, I can be forgiven of all my sin and all my brokenness. See, that's what Jesus did for us upon the cross. That's why the symbol, the cross, is so powerful, because the cross is a place where Jesus suffered for you. He suffered for me, he took the weight of the world upon himself and he paid for it once and for all. And so that's why, whenever we make a decision to follow Jesus, it's not just as our savior, it's as our Lord, it's an alignment with him saying Lord, I wanna belong to you. I know whose team I'm on. I'm on your team, an eternal one, that I want to live for you and I want to live with purpose so that at the end of this thing, whenever I meet you face to face, you can say well done, good and faithful servant. The Apostle Paul, I read to the church at Rome. He says it like this because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes and is justified. With the mouth, one confesses and is saved. Friends, today is your day. It's your day to make a decision to follow Jesus. I'm gonna ask, if you're here in the room, if you just stand to your feet right where you're at you, bow your head. If you're online, you prepare your heart for what God wants to do, what he wants to say. It's a powerful thing. I've seen many people in these past weeks make a decision to follow Jesus. Friends, today is your day. It's your day to say yes to Jesus, to invite him into your heart and life, as people are preparing their hearts online, as people are preparing their hearts. Here in the room, heads are bowed. If that's you, you say, pastor, I want to be included in that prayer today. I want to invite Jesus into my heart and my life, be the savior of my life. Maybe you've made a decision in the past, but you haven't been living it and you need to make a recommitment to him. Today's your opportunity. Raise your hand and say, lord, I made a commitment to you that I wanna live this thing for real. I know whose team I'm on. If that's you, heads are bowed. If you wanna raise your hand right now and say, pastor, that's me, include me in that prayer today. I want to invite Jesus into my heart and life. Thank you, lord. It's people making decisions. Thank you, god. Thank you, lord. Others making decisions See the hands that are there, hands that are here, hands that are there. Thank you, lord. Other people making. I'm gonna ask us all collectively to say this prayer aloud after me Lord, thank you for loving me, thank you for sending Jesus. I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I believe he rose again. Forgive me of my sins. I surrender my life to you. In Christ's name, I pray Amen. Amen. Friends, we rejoice in you making a decision to follow Jesus today. Many people raising their hand today Praise the Lord. We encourage you in this. That, as that's you, you raise your hand today, connect with us in the back. We wanna put some resource in your hand. If you're online, wherever you are, connect with us. We don't want you to live this life alone. Friends, we are more than conquerors in him who loved us, and it's by Christ who strengthens us that we can live victoriously after him. As we come to this altar today, we do so asking for more of his empowerment, that we would not be those full of anxiety or anxious about anything, but instead that we would know the peace of God, the joy of the Lord, and that the provision of God would be ours as we draw near to him. Lord, we thank you so much. We pray, lord, giving you praise for this word today. Lord, thank you for challenging us, speaking to us through this word today. Lord, thank you for challenging us, speaking to us through your word today. Lord, thank you for the example of Paul or the church at Philippi. Lord, and how we too could be challenged by the things that you were challenging with Lord, as we could draw near to you. Today, lord, we ask for more of your presence, more of who you are. Lord, that we would have a hunger, lord, to spend time with you in your word and in prayer, but God, also in this moment. Lord, that you would give us the peace that passes all understanding. Lord, that we would know the joy of the Lord that would be our strength despite our circumstances. Lord, that we would see the provision of God that comes from your presence. Lord, all these things and more as we draw near to you. We thank you. We pray this in the powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Speaker 2:Oh, what a great morning it has been. Thank you for coming and I want to let you know next week we are having our Spring Family Sunday. It's going to be right after second service, but I need you. I'm going to tell you right now. I need you. So we're going to be setting up at 730 in the morning. We're going to be setting up at 730 in the morning.
Speaker 2:If you can come and join me, we will be out here. It's going to be 80 degrees next Sunday. It's going to be gorgeous. Invite somebody to come with you. Also, we need side dishes. We're going to supply all of the main food, but we need you just to bring side dishes. So salads, desserts, casseroles, whatever you can whip up, bring it. It's just going to be a fun. It whip up, bring it. It's just going to be a fun. It's going to be a family day, and so you can sign up as you're headed out. There's some sheets out there. You can also go on the app and we're just going to enjoy the outdoors while we can, because we know it only lasts a couple weeks, and so just come. It's going to be a great Sunday.
Speaker 1:Amen. Bring some green corn tamales. Amen, before we go, a praise blessing over us today. Bring some green corn tamales, amen, before we go. I pray this blessing over us today. The Lord bless you and keep you. Lord, make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. Lord, lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Lord, I pray a blessing upon your church. Give you peace, lord. I pray a blessing upon your church, your people. Lord, you empower us by your spirit to live your love out to those around us. We pray all this in the powerful name that is Jesus Christ. Amen, amen. Know this. We love you very much here at Cornerstone. God bless you and have a great week.